ACCEPT DEATH INTERVIEW - VOMITOSE issue 3 2008

Formed from the smouldering ashes of heavyweight bands like Hemdale and Fistula, Accept Death crawled out from the putrid Cleveland scene in 2005 - packed to the fucking brim with adulterated hostility hurled forth in violent degrees. Matt Rositano’s utterly vicious vocals fuelled by his own eccentric brilliance are doubled up with riff after riff of gritty, hypnotic deathsludge; Accept Death successfully reinstated a form of Sludge that most people believed had been truly dead and buried for quite some time, and in turn – rightly perfecting the concept of explaining absolute ugliness in musical form. For someone that’s kept a pretty low profile in the past when its come to interviews, (not to mention Hemdale being my all time favourite band?!) .. It was understandably great to be able to interview Matt to find out his thoughts on what made Hemdale what it was – One of, if not the most original and consistently insane death grind band to ever exist, and make my Fan girl dream interview jerk off complete. Since our initial interview, Matt ended Accept Death and then started it up again... So part of this interview is pre breakup, the rest explains it.Kind of.Hey Matt, How are things dude?? Thanks for the interview..Things are going good, getting more and more insane! No sweat, this is my first real interview by myself. I am not too smart.

For people who haven’t heard you guys yet, how would you describe Accept Death’s sound?A grind band that doesn’t grind. We are a 500lbs. Fat man in a grinder. I think it is very heavy. Fill with love. I think that was just a fragment sentence.

What have you been doing in the years since Hemdale?I did a band with this guy Thugbad called Kiss the Grave where I played drums. It was hardcore punk with grind. I have been arrested six times, four OVI’s, two disorderly conduct. I am also a carpenter. I was dieing to play in a band after Kiss the Grave.

How long has Accept Death been around?I think for two years

What was your intention with Accept Death? What bands would you say you’re personally influenced by?I think we pulled it off. Grave, first Brutal Truth, Napalm Death, First Fear Factory, Entombed, Slayer, and best of all Dismember, they are the sickest band ever.

I heard you weren’t originally supposed to be singing in Accept Death. Who was? And how did you come into the whole thing?Steve Matkia from Apartment 213 was going to sing. The only day Scott, Corey and I could practice was Sunday. Steve couldn’t make it and me being an egomaniac I said I would do it. It came out good.

Who does what in Accept Death? Some of the riffs sound slightly reminiscent of older Hemdale stuff, is that intentional?Corey plays Drums, Scott is lead guitar, I play Guitar, bass, and yell on the recordings. Well I seem to have a way of writing songs. Not really intentional.

The reaction to AxDx has been pretty overwhelming so far. Are you surprised how quickly you guys got noticed?Fuck yeah! It is awesome, totally rad!

You guys have an awesome split coming up with Dutch goregrinders Skullhog. How’d this get hooked up? What else have you guys got in the works?They said that they were down with us. Corey worked his magic and we got a split. Land O’ Smiles release Pharmacopeia 5x7” box set, and our second album Most Evil.

Most Evil – can you explain the title, what can we expect from the new record?The stuff we talk about is much more evil then that fag Satan. Heavy fucking fat.

The vocals on the s/t album are pretty fucking intense, probably most noticeably on the track “I’m Sick”.. How long did it take to get those vocals down?The first time we tried to do the vocals they didn’t sound right. Then the next time it took one take. Thank you.

Is the music in Accept Death a direct reflection of the band's mindset, like catharsis or something, or did you guys have to work to get it to sound that wretched?No it just happened. We really wanted to make it the sickest thing ever.

Have you guys played any live shows yet?? Any touring plans?Not yet, we took a break after the first album. We are planning to play out after the next album.

The self-titled record is full of samples from the Ted Bundy movie. What was the inspiration to put these in the record? Will you be including samples on Most Evil?I love Ted; He is a very smooth dude. He fit with our sound. I don’t know if we are going to put any on the Most Evil record.

Have you got any other projects going at the moment? Any plans for recording?Muzzleloader; a grind band I am doing all by my self, egomaniac. Corey has Fistula, and Scott has Necrodamus.

What was your main lyrical inspiration for Accept Death? Compared to Hemdale?Death. Hemdale was all about gore.

Older Hangnail/Choke releases? How can people get a hold of this stuff??The Hangnail with me was good but the other stuff wasn’t that good, but if you what it go to Habachi Records, Choke you can’t get. It was gay.

So Matt, since our initial interview there’s been some changes with AxDx. Can you give us an overall update on what’s gone down as of late?No more Accept Death, But I am doing a band called Mutilation Factor. It is a death metal, grindcore band. That is the kind of songs I write best.

What was the reasoning behind breaking up Accept Death? How did the other guys take it?I quit because I am not a people person. I hate dealing with other people, not that I think I am this great person and everyone is below me,not at all, I am kind of a hermit. Plus poor Corey Had to drive an hour out to my house and it was a toll on him. Corey took it well. He has Fistula he is doing, Scott was really pissed at me because I was going to keep the name and the first song I put up was Raped and Fucked and he hates the word rape, so he called me and said I was a faggot and he was going to rape me. Which is all fine and dandy. I don't want to feel like I am connected with the shit. So no more Accept Death. Oh yeah that is another reason I quit I don't like people telling me what song titles I come up with.

What are they doing now?Fistula.

Did you consider continuing as Accept Death or was it always gonna be a different project?Originally yes, but I don't want to deal with all the crying.

Tell us about your new projects.Mutilation Factor is my ego ran amuck. I play everything and yell. Good times.

Will the planned Accept Death releases still go ahead?No, Mutilation factor is going to do the split with SkullHog Accept Death was going to do on No Escape Records, and maybe a full length on No Escape Records. If they want to put it out. I also got a split Cd with Ottis Toole from the UK, on my own little label called 1803 Records.

Is the new stuff a continuation of the Accept Death material, or a totally different material?It is different more like a continuation of Hemdale, except the drums are as good as Craig's but no one is.

What actually happened with the breakup of Hemdale? Do you still keep in contact with Craig or Mike? Any idea what they’re up to now??Truthfully I think women. Mike and Craig quit. Not really.

Visceral Productions seemed like it had a heap of potential… Any idea why Craig ended the label?Not enough money for all the work. He is a very successful Internet guy.

What’s the Cleveland scene like these days?? Do you still go to gigs etc?It is ok - not that great, I go once in awhile. Many bad Sevendust sounding bands.

Hemdale was on the verge of releasing a full length on Relapse apparently to be called “Jerry’s Massage Parlor”? What’s the story behind that?Well Mike and Craig quit, that ended that. I am not a people person so I couldn’t find anybody to help me do it.

What do you think set Hemdale aside from other bands around that time?Most bands wanted to sound like Suffocation, I didn’t like that crap.

Do you get a heap of people asking you to reunite Hemdale? Can you say whether this is definitely out of the question or not?Never out of the question, but it wouldn’t be with Mike or Craig.

What’s your thoughts on the following:Ohio:Love itRelapse Records:Love it in a gay waySuicide:Why notGenital Magic:A secret I will not let outPunishing the retarded:They have it too easy.

What traits in a human would you say you hate the most?Know it alls

”Modern sludge” taking on a drone/atmospheric edge, instead of the broken down harsh feel it used to have in the old days.. What do you think about this shit?Sucks, I like the raw sound.

What bands did you listen to as a kid? What bands got you into ‘metal’?It started out as Metallica - Master of puppets, then Slayer, then Death, and then all the crazy crap I mentioned earlier.

What have you been listening to recently?Dismember- Like an Ever flowing Stream